In many games of chance, the game outcome is determined on the basis of two or more independent outcomes. For example, in the card game blackjack, the outcome of the game depends on comparing the respective scores of a randomly dealt player's hand (first random outcome) and a randomly dealt dealer's hand (second random outcome).
As another example, in a video poker game based on the game of draw poker, the outcome of a hand depends upon the initial, randomly dealt hand configuration (first random outcome) as well as the cards randomly drawn (second random outcome) to replace discards from the initial hand configuration.
As still another example, the outcome of a play cycle in a slot machine is determined by a combination of the respective random outcomes that correspond to the final positions of the reels of the slot machine.
Because these games involve more than one random outcome, there is more than one way that the player may lose or may suffer bad luck. For example, in blackjack, the player may lose either by “busting” (exceeding a twenty-one count in the player's hand) or by having a lower count than the dealer. If a player suffers a run of bad luck, he/she may become frustrated and cease playing the game. This is disadvantageous to the proprietor of the gaming establishment or device.
It is considered desirable from the point of view of the game proprietor to give the player more options relative to the game so that the player feels that he/she has a better opportunity to change his/her luck and therefore continue playing. Certain known modifications to popular games have attempted to provide the player with additional options. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,391, issued to Klasee, a variation on blackjack is disclosed. According to this variation, the player places a bet on one of five possible hand outcomes, namely blackjack, twenty-one, twenty, nineteen or eighteen. Four cards are dealt and using those cards the best ranking blackjack hand is assembled. If the resulting hand matches the player's bet, then the player wins.
According to another known variation on blackjack, casinos issue promotional coupons that may be presented at a blackjack table as a “free ace” to form part of the player's hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,200,291, issued to Hooker, discloses a modified slot machine in which the player can select one or two of the slot machine reels to be held at the same position at which the reels ended the previous play cycle and which was randomly determined. If the player exercises this option, then only one or two reels are spun in the next cycle in an attempt to match the position of the held reel or reels.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,552, issued May 30, 2000, entitled, “A Gaming Device and Method of Operation Thereof,” and commonly assigned with this application, discloses a slot machine in which the player is allowed to customize parameters such as payouts or frequency of winning outcomes.
It is also a common practice in state-run lotteries to permit players either to specify the numbers to be played or to have the numbers chosen automatically and randomly by computer.
It would be desirable to provide improved games of chance that would encourage the player to continue playing and to attempt to change his luck in cases where a losing streak has occurred. It would also be desirable to provide improved games that are simpler and easier to play and therefore generally more attractive to players.